Promises
by Emm
Summary: This story's clean, just a few swearwords in the authors note. A short story of the gymshippy kind. I didn't write this, I swear! I found it on the cutting room floor! They cut it out of the show, the fiends!


  
Disclaimer: I own Pokemon! I'm a multi-millionaire! That's right, I own them! Not you! Meeeee! gets dragged away to court by lawyers in suits to get sued for 7000 zillion pounds/dollars/euros/yen  
  
  
Misty turned over in her bed restlessly. Despite the bedsheet covering her being only thin, it was still unbearably hot, causing her toss and turn throughout the night. Growing up in Cerulean City, she had always been used to the hot, sunny climate that they had there. But here on Valencia Island, the temperature was nearing tropical, with the days being hot and the nights even hotter.   
  
The house was silent, Professor Ivy and her assistants having gone to bed hours ago. The silence also irritated her, and she found herself staring up through the darkness, listening for any sort of sound. Nothing. Not even a car passing by. She closed her eyes again in an effort to catch some sleep, but they sprang open again a few minutes later. She kicked the sheets of her bed and punched her pillow, letting her head flop back down again. She didn't know how the people here could possibly put up with this sticky heat every night, but then again they had probably grown accustomed to it. She wondered if Brock and Ash were having trouble getting to sleep too.   
  
After a few more seconds of lying in the dark with her eyes wide open, she finally admitted defeat. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she groped blindly in the dark for her clothes. There was no streetlights on Valencia Island, and Professor Ivy's house was miles from the town centre, causing the whole house to be pitch black. There was no moon either, which only added to her difficulty in finding her clothes. Misty could see nothing, just black all around.   
  
It took her a few minutes to get herself dressed, and another ten for her to find her way out the bedroom door. She was tired as hell, but the air was so still that she could barely breath, and the lack of sleep made her feel restless and frustrated. Deciding that anything was better than going back to bed, she started to fumble her way to the kitchen in the dark, hoping that her memory of the place was as good as she thought it was. Five minutes later, she stopped at what she decided was the kitchen door. Entering it, she was suprised to find the dim kitchen light already on.   
  
"Must have forgot to switch it off" she whispered to herself, as she got herself a glass of water. She was about to go back to her room when a movement caught the corner of her eye, making her jump.   
  
Squinting to see onto the poorly lit balcony, she smiled in relief. It was only Brock, fully clothed and leaning on the balcony railing.   
  
Misty set down her water on the kitchen table, before quietly opening the balcony door. Brock jumped as he heard the door click shut, then relaxed as he saw who it was.   
  
"Hi" Misty smiled, being careful not to talk too loudly.   
  
"Hi. I thought no one would be up at this time of night" Brock replied.   
  
"Neither did I" Misty said, crossing the balcony to stand next to him.   
  
"What you doing up so late? It's almost three" Brock mumbled, raising an eyebrow.   
  
"It's too hot. I can't sleep" Misty complained, leaning her arms on the railing. Brock mirrored her movements.   
  
"Yeah, it is kinda hot here, isn't it?" he smiled, looking outwards into the dark. He appeared happy, but he looked distracted, as if something was bothering him.   
  
"Brock?" Misty ventured.   
  
"Hmmm?"   
  
"Is everything ok?"   
  
Brock turned his head and frowned defensively. "Why would you ask that?"  
  
"I dunno. It's just that you seem distracted, that's all" she shrugged. "Besides, what are you doing out here by yourself?" Brock looked at her silently for a second, as if debating whether or not to tell her something.   
  
Finally, he spoke. "I was just thinking, that's all"  
  
"That makes a change" Misty grinned, affectionately. Brock smiled, resting his chin on his palm. "What are you thinking about then?" Misty continued, turning to look out towards the faintly lit town in the distance. Brock's smile faded, and he also turned to look towards the town.   
  
"Nothing, nothing..." he muttered dismissively. After a second of silence, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Well... actually, I might as well tell you" he sighed. Misty raised her eyebrows slightly  
  
"This is starting to sound serious" she commented, half-jokingly. Brock sighed again, not sure whether or not to go on. Seeing Misty's expectant face, he took a deep breath.   
  
"I'm thinking about staying here" he confessed, staring at his hands, almost guiltily. Misty spun her head to look at him, a look of shock on her face. Brock glanced shyly at her, then quickly bent his head down again, avoiding her eyes. Misty stood motionless for a few minutes, racking her brains for something intelligent to say.   
  
"Are you...are you serious???" she demanded, her eyes widening. Brock nodded slowly.   
  
"Kind of"   
  
"What do you mean, 'kind of'?" Misty frowned. "Are you or aren't you?"   
  
Brock bit his lip nervously. "I...I don't know, Misty. I really want to stay, but.....I don't want to leave you and Ash either". Misty let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, her frown disappearing.   
  
"You are serious, aren't you?" she muttered, more to herself than to him. An uncomfortable silence settled between them, which was finally broken by Misty.   
  
"But...why? Why would you want to stay here?"   
  
"Because all my life, I've wanted to be a breeder. I ran the gym for years before my Dad came back, so I know the life of a gym leader's like. Now I want to try breeding, because then I can choose what I want to be, what I want to do with my life". Misty touched his arm.   
  
"But Brock-".   
  
"It's ok for you, Misty!" he continued. "You are at your best when you're battling, being a gym leader suits you. I want to stay here and find out what suits me. I want to find out as much about breeding as I can, and if I let this oppurtunity pass, I might never get another one"   
  
Misty stared at him for a few seconds, then squeezed his arm. "Then what's to stop you?" she smiled. Brock sighed and walked back to the railings.   
  
"There's a lot to stop me. You and Ash for one thing. It's my responsibility to-"  
  
"No!" Misty interrupted, her voice taking on a determined tone. "No Brock, Ash and I *aren't* your responsibility. We can take care of ourselves"  
  
Brock opened his mouth to speak, but Misty cut him off. "You're right, Brock. This could be a once in a lifetime oppurtunity and I'm not going to let you pass it up" she smiled, still having the firm edge to her voice. "That's why you're going to stay here tomorrow" Brock bit his lip, uncertainly.   
  
"So...so you think that I should stay?"  
  
"Yeah, I do" Misty nodded. "Because if I knew you had just turned it down so that you can stay with me and Ash, then I'd feel responsible"   
  
"Thanks Misty" Brock smiled. Misty wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. "I'm really going to miss you, Misty" he said quietly, eagerly returning her hug.   
  
"Yeah, I'm gonna miss you too" she answered, pulling away. The two held their gaze for a few minutes, as if they were having some sort of unspoken communication.   
  
Brock shyly looked down at the floor. He grabbed her hand tightly. "Look Misty, I -"   
  
"Don't Brock" Misty interrupted him, shaking her head. "Saying goodbye's going to be hard enough. I think it's for the best if nothing happens". Brock looked dejected, and opened his mouth again to speak.   
  
"But Misty-"  
  
He was cut short by Misty putting her finger over his mouth, stopping him mid-sentence. "Don't. Just....don't. I know". She squeezed his hand and smiled, blushing uncharacteristically. "I do too"   
  
Brock smiled as Misty took her hand away and let it drop by her side. "Ok, I won't say it" he agreed, looking up at her. "But one day, I promise I'm going to find you again, and I'm going tell you" he smiled. Misty smiled in reply.   
  
"I may just hold you to that, brock slate"  
  
"You can count on it. I swear, one day I *am* gonna find you again"   
  
Misty just smiled and led Brock by the arm towards the door. "Come on. Me and Ash have got a long way to go tomorrow"   
  
~~~   
  
Brock smiled at his younger friend, feeling slightly subconcious in his trademark pink apron. "And I think they need me a lot more than you two do" he explained, watching the astonished expression on Ash's face. Ash stared blankly at him for a few seconds, then his suprised expression turned to one of acceptance.   
  
"Well then," he smiled, holding his arm out. "I guess this is goodbye". Brock smiled and clasped the younger boys arm.   
  
"Friends 'til the end, right Ash?" he grinned.   
  
"Right!" Ash replied. From behind the two boys, Misty stood back and watched the two boys. Ash finally let go of his older friends hand, and he began to walk down the dirtpath, towards where Misty stood.   
  
"Goodbye Brocko!" Ash hollered, waving frantically as he started walking away from the Professor Ivy's house. Misty followed him, walking on his right side. If Ash thought it strange Misty hadn't said anything up till now, he didn't show it. Brock's heart sank a little as he watched the two friends, that he had been through so much with, walk out of his life.   
  
Misty remembered the pact she had made with Brock not to look back, but the temptation proved to much for her. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Professor Ivy and her assisstants had gone, but Brock still stood there. Brock looked up from the floor to see Misty looking over her shoulder back at him. Smiling, he winked at her, before waving slowly. Misty grinned back, feeling a little bit happier. Turning her head, she continued to walk, away from Brock for the last time.   
  
~~~  
  
Authors Note: I may have got some stuff wrong there, but I don't have a total understanding of what happens at that end scene. But I thought it was really shitty that Misty didn't even say goodbye to him in that episode, so I came up with this because it really pissed me off that he just left and it didn't look like she even friggin' cared!!! I mean, they've been friends for how long? A year, two years? Then when he leaves she doesn't even say bye, despite the fact that they're, like, best friends? Well, now I got that little rant out of the way, I was going to say I might make a sequel to this where he actually keeps his promise, but I dunno, depends if I can be bothered ^_^   
  



End file.
